I'm getting the 55" in 3 days, how is the picture quality for watching DVD's, Blu Rays, and regular cable TV?...I won't be using it for any gaming.
26835
The best picture in this price range! However, you will need a separate surround sound system to enjoy the visual with the audio.
26836
We have used it for satellite only so far. Great clear picture! I cannot comment on DVD or BluRay.
427956
Really the refresh rate is fine for viewing any program, DVD or Blu-Ray. If you are playing some sort of advanced video game you might wish it was 120 but I've never once thought it was inadequate for watching TV.
425187
Generally speaking, the refresh rate is not that important. Scenes with smooth motion and panning will generally look cleaner on a 120hz set, because the TV is successfully able to insert new frames (your video signal is not 120hz, but about 30hz. The difference is made up by the TV analyzing the frames and making new ones that go in between the original frames). Scenes with very choppy motion typically look worse (because the frames inserted by the TV don't match up correctly, making the image sharper and crisper-seeming but jerky and jittery). This is not a 120hz TV, though. If that feature is important to you, you're going to have to look at the true TV line (T260HD is really a monitor with TV features) I have a T260HD, and if you are going to use it primarily as a monitor, but also as a TV, it's pretty good. I've owned monitors that looked better, and I own a TV that looks better, but this unit is a good meld of the two. It has a very limited ideal viewing angle, and some problems with banding and bleeding at the edges, but it looks pretty good and it has all of the TV inputs. If you're looking for a TV that you will use as a monitor only occasionally, buy a TV that has a bunch of HDMI ports, and just get a DVI-&gt;HDMI adapter for your PC. Samsung's got several very nice TVs at 32" (the alternative you were considering). If you want the 120hz, the LN32B650 or LN32B640 will do it for you. If you don't care, the LN32B550 is a very nice display as well (I have the 40" B550, and I like it). Samsung doesn't have many high quality options in the 26" size (they're all 720p only, except for the monitor-TVs like this one)
1482304
the picture quality is purely based on what signal it is getting. SD channels look like garbage, HD channels look pretty good, Blu rays will blow you away. No fault of the TV, it is a slave to what signal it is getting
1118633
Not yet, but I'm thinking about it seriously. I've reviewed a lot of different tv's, this one looks like the best...I particularly like the 50,000:1 ratio. The only thing holding me back is, I've heard that new models of Blu Ray DVD are coming out later this summer that are much improved... Anyway, I saw this (the 46" model) in a store, and it looks VERY nice...
2044745
I finally ditched cable and this is the only way I watch TV and movies....I would also suggest getting a 15' HDMI cable (that is what I hv) so I can watch TV from my couch. But definitely it will work...it has 2 HDMI ports. I don't have any game systems or bluray devices....so this works for me very well. Let me know if I can help you out w/anything else.
1917614
I'm using game mode as well for gaming & it looks good, had to tweak the color saturation some though. I will be trying standard on my blu-ray input hopefully in the next few days, im hoping it works. I thought i had tried that but i honestly dont remember now if i did or not. Thanks for your input on your experience. I would have sent it back by now if I had not run across this post.
1262698
That's good to know Bridger. I have this one (Samsung plasma PN50B450) as well and the manual states that brightness and contrast should be reduced to prevent burn in while play video games. Also appreciate the first hundred hour rule-mixing tv with games.Thanks. The only thing I'm worried about is my kids walking away from a video game and a screen just sitting there. But hey, for the price you could buy another one and not spend what you can for a 1080p lcd 52 inch. I know that defeats the purpose but isn't that why you would be interesed in this tv anyways? for the price?
70354
I went today to look at HDtv's. I saw both the 46XBR4 and the 3000W and another 3000? Sony. All I can say is that by far the XBR4 was crisper and brighter, it looked more like reality. They had ESPN-HD feed on from Direct-TV. Is the difference worth the price, that's something you have to decide. Go look at them, I saw them at CC. I actually spent a good hour in a recliner they had setup and just watched the 46XBR4 comparing it to the sets around it. This is the one I'm getting, it was simply the best picture constantly, even better than models bigger in size with 1080p. It really stood out in the finer details when next to the other sets.
869413
How big of a difference is the picture with the glitch when watching a BD? I am strongly leaning towards buying this TV. If this is only a minor flaw I am going to buy it, I just don't see paying $700 more dollars for the 860 just for this glitch. Is watching BD without cinema smooth that much of a difference? Thank you.
436840
Hi there. I haven't used it often but what I have seen impresses me very much. I would have to agree it is Cinema quality. I like that it's a passive system so I don't need to charge the glasses or waste money on batteries. I am in no way an expert in 3D technology but it impresses a layman such as myself. The tv overall is phenomenal best tv I've ever owned, especially for blu-Ray. Happy hunting.
2176377
It definitely depends on your receiver and how good the channel transmits their signal, but I would say the picture is excellent when all things are considered. I've NEVER been overly blown away by ESPN/ABC's picture quality; however, NBC has excellent HD and last Saturday's Wild Card games for NFL looked great.Keep in mind that HD receivers only transmit in 1080i...no TV is going to give you bluray quality (unfortunately) at this stage. I'd say it's definitely comparable to TVs with a higher price point and equal specs.
1627947
Picture quality depends on what you attach to it. I use a computer that has a Blu-ray player and the quality is great. I use it for movies and it works really well in a theater setting. I never got the 3D to work, but I didn't use it for gaming. I got the converter which was suppose to allow the attachment of a Blu-ray or TV to it but that didn't work. Picture is very good but it is limited. Your limited to a gamebox or computer. I have a golf game I plan to hook it up to as soon as I can make room in my garage.
1683115
I hooked up my PC, picture is great, basically i use it as a monitor, because i have cable box, dvd, sound surround system and PC, everything connected with HDMI cables. I have no complains. Good luck!
157339
Thanks for your reply!I made my purchase a month ago and I decided to go with the Sharp LC42-D85U which is 120hz.24p is just for blu ray but I wanted the smooth action that it offers. I only really noticed it on my old set with Star Wars. There was one scene with a black background and alot of action and it was noticably choppy. I have yet to play the same movie and compare.
1614194
Thanks for the response BryanWhat about xbox gaming. Since the 450 is only 720P how would xbox games that are formatted in HD look? Would I loose image quality since this is not a 1080P?thanks
3362
Hmm, I've a PS3 and an Xbox, and none of them have any issues with this TV. I've seen 300 on this TV and noticed no such flaws (of course, I'm still not over the euphoria of going HD!), but in all fairness that was the HD-DVD version, so we can't rule out encoding issues on the Blu-Ray side.